“Rheolavision was engaged only as a consultant even though the Senate committee created the impression that the company of the SGF executed the contract.” – I G Wala
By Omeiza Ajayi,
ABUJA – A coalition of civil society groups the under the aegis of Citizens Action to Take Back Nigeria CATBAN has concluded investigations into the altercation between the senate and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Babachir Lawal, exonerating the latter of charges of gross misconduct and abuse of the nation’s procurement processes.
The coalition which had earlier pledged to picket the SGF’s office following the resolution of the senate asking the SGF to resign due to his alleged involvement in contracts awarded by the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE).
The group said in order to establish sufficient grounds for picketing the SGF’s office, it had embarked on a fact-finding mission to the North-east to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of claims made by the Sen. Shehu Sani-led adhoc Committee on the Humanitarian Situation in the North East.
Presenting the findings the media in Abuja on Tuesday, after a well researched documentary showing the plights of the North-east residents, the group said most of the claims by the Senate ad-hoc committee were “unfortunate lies”, as the plants were actually removed along waterways spread across 12 local governments.
Presenting the findings the media in Abuja on Tuesday, after a well researched documentary showing the plights of the North-east residents, the group said most of the claims by the Senate ad-hoc committee were “unfortunate lies”, as the plants were actually removed along waterways spread across 12 local governments.
In the documentary, some of the respondents were seen commending the Presidential Initiative on the North-east (PINE) for doing what is described as a “remarkable job”.
The Co-convener of CATBAN Ibrahim Garba Wala, told newsmen that the testimonies of people they met and the evidence before them proved that it was a worthwhile contract that was executed to the benefit of the people.
“CATBAN can assert with authority that the contract was indeed carried out. The claims that it was meant to clear grass in IDP camps or that nothing has been done are nothing but unfortunate lies.”
The group findings according to the report, revealed that the said grass cutting contract was originally tagged “Award of contract for removal of invasive plants along river channels and 115 hectares of simplified village irrigation operation in Your state.”
It was also discovered that document from PINE revealed that Rheolavision was not the main contractor that got the job. “Rheolavision was engaged only as a consultant even though the Senate committee created the impression that the company of the SGF executed the contract.”
The group also said it discovered political undertones behind the scandal, saying, “we understand this is why one of the state government officials specifically told the Senate Committee that PINE had not done anything in their state despite our on the spot assessment which shows clear evidence of clearing /evacuation of invasive plant species and irrigation operation on the 115 hectares of land.”
Another revelation CATBAN made available showed that the SGF Engr. Babachir Lawal, actually resigned from Rheolavision Engineering and all the other companies he had shareholdings in through a notice of resignation to his lawyers on the 28th of August 2015.
“CATBAN alongside the local NGOs went to the Likori bridge in Marma channel on the Hadeija River. We found the first project sign post which consists of the contractors’ and consultants’ details.”
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/%e2%80%8egrass-cutting-scandal-independent-report-exonerates-sgf-babachir/
